Collapsible tube capping and suspending device



April ,19 L. M. JOHNSON 2,882,000

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAPPING AND SUSPENDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 22?, 1957 FigZFi Leona M. Johns on INVENIOR.

BY M M COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAPPING AND SUSPEND- ING DEVICE Leona M.Johnson, Lancaster, Calif.

Application August 23, 1957, Serial No. 679,868

Claims. (Cl. 248-108) The present invention relates to an improvedcapping device for the neck portion of a conventional-type collapsibletube such as is used as a container for tooth paste, shaving cream andthe like and has reference, more particularly, to a novelly constructeddevice which functions not only as a cap, but, in addition, as a hangerfor the tube when it is not in use.

More specifically, the concept has to do with a hanger bracket or,alternatively, a suspension fixture, which may be bracketed on astationary support surface at some readily accessible place. Acomplemental capping and suspending device is rotatably mounted on thefixture. This device is provided with a socket into which the neck ofthe collapsible tube is telescopically fitted and, in this manner,closed by the bottom of the socket. There is a packing element in thebottom of the socket to effect a satisfactory closure.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the capping and suspendingdevice, novel clamping means is provided on said device. The clampingmeans is unique in that it embodies a pair of cooperating jaws, one ofwhich may be said to be relatively stationary to grip one side of theneck, and the other relatively movable to grip the other side of theneck. These jaws cooperate with the normally open mouth portion of thesocket. Means is embodied in the capping device to cooperate with thejaws so that when the device is moved to assume what may be said to beits normal position, the jaws grip the neck and the tube is suspended.When the device is manually shifted or moved to another position, thejaws automatically part and the mouth of the socket is then freely openso that the neck may be withdrawn and the tube detached for use. Byrestoring the neck in the socket and then shifting the device back toits normal position, the jaws automatically close and again grip theneck.

Briefly summarized, the over-all construction comprises a fixture forattachment to a wall or the like, said fixture having a vertical plateportion provided with a stationary horizontal outstanding pincylindrical in crosssection, a surface of said pin being providedbetween its ends with a recess defining a pocket and one wall of saidpocket functioning as a stop shoulder and the surface of the pinadjacent to said pocket constituting a cam, a generally circular blockhaving a fiat side opposed in parallelism to said plate portion, havingan eccentric bearing removably journalled for rotation on said pin, andalso having a radial socket opening through a peripheral portionapproximately diametrically opposite to said bearing, said socket beingprovided to telescopically receive the usual screw-threaded neck of acollapsible tube whereby to thus provide a closing cap for said neck,the peripheral portion ofsaid block having groove means,

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an arcuately bowed leaf spring seated in a given portion of said groovemeans fastened to said block and having one end terminating andoverlying a portion of the open mouth of the socket and serving as astationary jaw, the other end of said spring being free and terminatingover and beyond the pocketed portion of said pin, that portion of theblock opposite the spring being recessed, a longitudinally bowed springmetal band situated on the recessed portion of said block and pivoted ina lever-like 0 manner intermediate the respective ends of the hand, one

end of said band being adjacent the mouth portion of said socket andserving as a movable neck gripping jaw and cooperating with saidfirst-named jaw.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the device as constructed in accordancewith the principles of the invention and showing how it is mounted andused.

Fig. 2 is a view with parts in elevation taken on the plane of thevertical line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing how the device is rotatedcounterclockwise to open the jaws and to provide for insertion orremoval of the tube neck.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 44 and 55, respectively, of Fig.2.

Referring now to the drawing, the attaching bracket or fixture 8embodies an attaching flange 10 secured by fasteners 12 to the wall orother surface 14. The aforementioned vertical plate portion or flange 16is at right angles to the horizontal reinforcing flange 18. As seen inFig. 4, there is a horizontal or right angularly disposed cylindricalpin or stud 20 and this has one end abutting the plate and fixed theretoby the fastener 22. This pin is for joumalling, mounting and alsoprovides a cam. In the surface, there is a recess or pocket 24 provided,and one wall of this serves as a stop shoulder 26. The

edge portion adjacent the pocket at 28 constitutes a cam.

The capping and suspension device as an entity is denoted by the numeral26. As already mentioned, this is preferably in the form of asubstantially circular block which may be of some non-corrodiblematerial or commercial plastics. The block 28 as seen in Figs. 2 and 3has a radial socket 30 with its mouth portion opening through aperipheral surface and with the bottom of the socket provided with acompressibly resilient insert or pad 32 to effect a satisfactory closurefor the neck 34 of the collapsible tube36. The diametrically oppositeportion of the block is recessed and provided with an eccentric boreproviding a bearing 38 which makes it possible to rotatably andremovably mount the block on the cam-pin 20.

The peripherally grooved portion on one side of the block serves toaccommodatingly receive a longitudinally bowed or arcuate spring 40,said spring having a slot 42 intermediate its ends to accommodate thethreaded end 44 and adjacent thumb nut 46 on a bolt 48 passing through abore 50 at the center of the block. The headed end 52 of the boltbridges the recessed portion 54 of the block where it is hingedlyconnected with the apertured counterbored portion 56 of an arcuatespring metal band 58, one end of the band extending adjacent to themouth of the socket and providing a movable jaw 60.

The other end of the band has a tangential bend forming a trip finger 61and this cooperates with the pocket 24, the stop shoulder 26 and the camsurface 28. This finger is tensioned by a laterally directed free endportion 62 at one end of the longitudinally bowed spring 40. The otherend portion of the spring is secured by a fastener 64 and the adjacentterminal end 66 projects over the socket and provides a stationary jaw.The portion 66 of the band has a lever-like action permitting the jawsto open and close to either grip the neck 34, as seen in Fig. 2, forpurposes of suspending the tube. or releasing the neck for purposes ofwithdrawing and detaching the tube as seen in Fig. 3.

As will be evident from the drawing, the rotatable capping block '28 canbe rotated or switched from the normal closing and suspended positionseen in Fig. 2 to the tube-releasing or uncapping position seen in Fig.3.

When, however, the device is in the position illustrated in' Fig. 3, itwill be evident that the terminal of the trip finger 61 now engages theshoulder 26 and further rotation of the device in a counterclockwisedirection is prevented. However, if the device is rotated in a clockwisedirection, it may be rotated through a complete circle if desired.Normally, however, the two positions seen in Figs. 2 and 3,respectively, are those which are ordinarily taken into account inconsidering the operation of the device. The device is ready for use inthe assembled relationship seen in the drawings. Therefore, all that isnecessary to do is to find a suitable place for the bracket 8 and tofasten it on the wall or other surface 14. The device is then ready tofunction. Assuming that the neck is to be placed in the capping socket36), this is done when the device is in the position seen in Fig. 3, atwhich time the two jaws 66 and 60 are adequately spaced apart to uncoverthe mouth and socket. With the neck in the socket, the tube and devicemay be swung from the position seen in Fig. 3 to an approximately 90turn to the position seen in Fig. 2, and when this happens the jaw 60shifts or moves toward the stationary jaw 66 and then both jaws grip theneck, and consequently the device is not only capped, but is suspended.

'By adjusting the nut and bolt means, that is, by tightening the nut 46on the threaded end 44, the headed end 52 exerts a pull on theintermediate lever-like band 58, and thus the jaw action may beregulated to accommodate necks of smaller cross-section. The inherentspring metal of which the band 58 is formed permits it to functionproperly, that is, in conjunction with the cooperating arcuate leafspring 40 whose free end 62 has constant wiping and pressure or tensioncontact with the trip finger 61. Obviously, when the finger rests on thecam surface 28, as seen in Fig. 2, the lever-like band 58 is rocked onits pivot 52 and 56 and the movable jaw moves .to its clamping position.

It is also possible by turning the device in a direction which iscounterclockwise to bodily slip it off of the pin for purposes ofcleaning the parts, if necessary, par ticularly the socket for replacingthe pad or packing element 32.

Although it is within the sphere of probability that the inherent springproperties of the metal band, particularly the jaw-forming portion 66,may be relied upon to permit said band to function substantially byitself, it is believed desirable and, in some instances, necessary toaid the spring action, and this is done by employing a coil spring 57.The spring encircles the headed end of the bolt 48 and bears at one endagainst the counterbored seat 56 and at its opposite end against thesurface of the block at one end of the bore or passage 50. This springis normally under compression and is helpful in holding the clampingband 58 in its so-called open position. In addition, the spring aids inthe adjustment of the bolt 44 by way of the adjusting nut 46 in aseemingly obvious manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A collapsible tube capping and suspending device comprising a fixturefor attachment to a wall or the like, said fixture having a verticalplate portion provided with a stationary horizontal outstanding pincylindrical in cross-section, a surface of said pin being providedbetween its ends with a recess defining a pocket and one wall of saidpocket functioning at a stop shoulder and the surface of the pinadjacent to said pocket constituting a cam, a generally circular blockhaving a flat side opposed in parallelism to said plate portion, havingan eecentric bearing removably journalled for rotation on said pin, andalso having a radial socket opening through a peripheral portionapproximately diametrically opposite to said bearing, said socket beingprovided to telescopically receive the usual screw-threaded neck of acollapsible tube whereby to thus provide a closing cap for said neck,the peripheral portion of said block having groove means, an arcuatelybowed leaf spring seated in a given portion of said groove means,fastened to said block and having one end terminating and overlying aportion of the open mouth of the socket and serving as a stationary jaw,the other end of said spring being free and terminating over and beyondthe pocketed portion of said pin, that portion of the block opposite thespring being recessed, a longitudinally bowed spring metal band situatedon the recessed portion of said block and pivoted in a lever-like mannerintermediate the respective ends of the band, one end of said band beingadjacent the mouth portion of said socket and serving as a movable neckgripping jaw and cooperating with said first-named jaw.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, and wherein the other end portionof said band is bent laterally and at an approximate tangent to form afinger, said finger cooperating with said pocket and cam, the free endof said spring overlying and having a laterally bent tip in constantspring-tensioned and wiping contact with a cooperating surface of saidfinger, and the pivot means for said band comprising a bolt passingcentrally through said block with the headed end of the bolt pivotallyconnected with the band and the threaded nut-equipped end passingthrough a slot provided therefor at a median portion of said spring.

3. A collapsible tube suspending and capping device comprising a closingcap having a radial socket for removable reception of the neck of saidtube, a relatively stationary jaw operatively mounted on said cap andlocated on one side of the mouth of the socket to grip a portion of saidneck, a companion relatively movable jaw located on a diametricallyopposite side of said socket and releasably engageable with thecooperating side of said neck, trippable means embodied in said cap andoperable to clamp the movable jaw or release it at will, said movablejaw being formed on one end of a clamping band, said clamping band beingpivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said cap in a manner to swingthe jaw toward and away from the stationary jaw, and said trippablemeans embodying a cam, said cam being stationary, said cap beingrotatably supported and mounted on said cam, and that end of the bandwhich is adjacent to said cam being formed into a trip finger havingconstant engagement with said cam.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, and a leaf spring operativelymounted on said cap and having an end portion under stress and havingconstant wiping contact with said trip finger and functioning tomaintain the latter in cooperative relationship with said cam.

5. The structure defined in claim 3, and a leaf spring operativelymounted on said cap and having an end portion under stress and havingconstant wiping contact with said trip finger and functioning tomaintain the latter in cooperative relationship with said cam, said camcomprising a pin joumalled in bearing means provided therefor in saidcap, said bearing means being eccentric, the surface of said pin havinga pocket, one wall of said pocket providing a stop shoulder and theReferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSFitchett Dec. 22, 1914 Carruthers Dec. 22, 1925

